Jeremy Irons

Jeremy John Irons was born Sept. 19, 1948 in Cowes, Isle of Wight to Paul Dugan Irons and Barbara Ann. Irons was educated at the Sherborne School in Dorset and is a member of Abbey House. He achieved some fame as a drummer and harmonica player in a four-man school band called the “Four Pillars of Wisdom.”

Irons is married to Irish actress Sinead Cusack, and is the father of two sons. Samuel Irons was born Sept. 16, 1978 and Maximilian Irons who was born Oct. 17, 1985. Both of them have appeared in films with their father.

Irons trained as an actor at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the center of Bristol, England. He performed a number of plays and supported himself by performing live for monetary donations from the public on the streets of Bristol. Irons appeared on the London stage as “John the Baptist,” in “Godspell.” His film debut came in 1980 in the film, “Nijinsky.” Yet the role that catapulted Irons to fame was his portrayal of “Charles Ryder” in the television adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s “Brideshead Revisited” in 1981. That same year, Irons starred in the film “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” with Meryl Streep. In 1984, Irons won a Tony Award for his performance in “The Real Thing,” opposite Glenn Close. In 1990, Irons won the Best Actor Academy Award for the film, “Reversal of Fortune.” Other films Irons has starred in include 1991’s “Kafka,” 1992’s “Damage,” directed by the late French director Louis Malle. The 1993 film, “M. Butterfly,” and the 1997 remake of “Lolita,” directed by Adrian Lyne. Irons also appeared in 1995’s “Die Hard With A Vengeance,” starring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson as well as 1998’s “The Man In The Iron Mask,” also starring John Malkovich, Gabriel Byrne, Gerard Depardieu and Leonardo DiCaprio.